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This email would be very long if we answered them all, so we're making this a 3-part series. Be sure to tune in to them all! Maybe one of the questions that comes up is something you hadn't thought of before.
Length of trip: Our shortest trip is 6 days long, and we have trips in length anywhere between 6 and 16 days. That can be a long time for first-time rafters or campers. We certainly understand! Our experience is it usually takes 2-3 days to get in the rhythm of life, no matter how many times you have been down river. And many folks wish their trip was longer by the time it nears the end! Generally, the longer you can be down in the Canyon, the more in sync with yourself you will become. Being totally unplugged does such wonders for your well-being.
Bathing: There are no showers at the bottom of Grand Canyon. Solar showers really aren't worth taking with you as they are difficult to heat up, and then even more difficult to use in camp as all liquid waste must go into the river. So you bathe in the river! We give privacy on a Grand Canyon rafting trip, so you find somewhere easy to get a little privacy, and bathe in the river. It's a great time to wash some of your clothes as you can wear the same few outfits for the whole trip. This can take a little getting used to, but once you do figure it out, you'll quickly get the hang of it.
Rapids: The Colorado River through Grand Canyon is roughly 95% flat water, so although you're going through rapids every day, it's not all day, every day. You'll experience the gamut of rapids though! Some will be small riffles, and some will be big, crashing waves that are sure to pump your adrenaline! If you haven't already, this blog on our website about rapids will provide you with a lot of answers to your rapids questions!
Accidental swims: Sometimes swimming in Grand Canyon is on purpose, but you can get launched out of the raft and end up in a rapid unexpectedly, although this does not occur very often. The guides will explain to you what to do if this happens before you get to any rapids the first day, but some of the main tips are to get your feet in front of you, and be on your back instead of on your stomach. As you go through the waves, breathe in the troughs instead of at the peak of the wave, and pay attention to the other boats around you. A guide will be looking for you to pull you in or give you instructions, and you do need to actively participate in your rescue. Many swimmers only end up in the water for a few seconds and are picked up quickly. Some end up swimming much of a rapid. Your best bet in being prepared is to "practice swim" some of the smaller rapids when your guides offer the option so you can experience it in a more controlled fashion. Many of our guests who ended up swimming accidentally come back to tell us it was one of the more exhilarating and memorable parts of their rafting adventure!
Flips: On average, we have about 2-5% of our 18 foot non-motorized rafts flip each year. We run about 50 non-motorized trips per year, which each have 6 boats on them. The amount of boat flips we have is pretty small, but it can happen to any guide at any time, in any rapid in Grand Canyon! The guides will instruct you on what to do if one of our boats flips, but the tips are pretty similar to swimming unexpectedly. While possible, it is extremely rare for the larger motorized rafts to flip.
Food & dietary restrictions: We often have people concerned about what kind of food we have on our trips, and if we can accommodate their dietary restrictions. The short answer is yes, there is PLENTY of food, and we can accommodate many dietary restrictions. For those with dietary restrictions, if they're simply preferences, we recommend putting them on hold for the trip and just enjoy the delicious food we pack for you. If you have dietary needs due to allergies, definitely contact us, but we can most likely provide for your needs. The more allergies, food preferences, or accommodations we make on a trip, the more time your guides will have to spend in the kitchen, which tends to mean less hiking time for you. So just keep that in mind! Without a shadow of a doubt, you'll be well fed and amazed at the delicious meals we can make on such a backcountry adventure!
Fear of heights: If you have a fear of heights, there are some hikes that might push your limits a bit. Pretty much any hike in Grand Canyon has to gain elevation because you're at the bottom of a canyon. That being said, some hikes will have more exposure on edges than other. The Bright Angel Trail (which is a required hike if only doing the upper or lower trip) can cause issues for some with a fear of heights. If your fear of heights is extreme, we recommend NOT choosing an upper or lower canyon trip. Our general recommendation if you have a fear of heights while on the trip is to at least start the hike, and hike as far as you're comfortable. If the heights are starting to bother you, you can either stay where you are and wait for the guide at the back of the hike there, or possibly go back to camp or the boats. It'll all depend on the hike. That being said, Grand Canyon is a place of extremes, and oftentimes, we hear about how amazing it was for our guests to get out of their comfort zone. Challenge yourself a bit, and you'll come away with a newfound confidence that you didn't realize you had.
Hiking: Speaking of heights, let's talk about hiking in general. We often get concerns from people about how difficult the hiking is on a trip, what to expect, how long the hikes will be, etc. We don't know what hikes you'll end up doing on your rafting trip as each trip is different! However, we can pretty much promise you'll go on hikes with pretty significant elevation gain, hikes up side canyons, hikes to archaeological sites, hikes to water falls, hikes in creeks, and so much more. Each hike is so different, and what makes a rafting trip so special is that most of the hikes you'll go on are only accessible by rafting. The hikes are optional, but we recommend going on most of them if you can! Hiking is a big part of our rafting trips, and we're known as one of the biggest hiking companies in the Canyon. It's important to us to get you out of the rafts and exploring Grand Canyon! The more physically fit you are prior to your adventure, the more enjoyment you'll get out of the hiking.
TUNE IN NEXT MONTH FOR MORE!
What questions do you have about rafting in Grand Canyon? Reply to this email to let me know so I can ensure it's in the next email!
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